Pope Leo XIV presided over his largest Mass during his visit to Africa, with more than 100,000 people gathering for the liturgy in Douala, Cameroon.
A large crowd, estimated by local authorities at 120,000, gathered in the Japoma Stadium parking lot to greet the American pope with song and dance, hold banners welcoming him and wave Vatican flags.
Many Mass-goers had been lining up for hours to secure their spots for the lively liturgy, which was interspersed with music from local choirs. The Pope’s visit to Cameroon, part of a 10-day tour of Africa, was a boost to the country, where some 37.7 million people live in poverty and are plagued by internal conflict.
“I feel blessed that he’s here,” said Fola Norn, a young woman who attended the mass. “We have no work here. We are studying, but there is no work to do.”
The Pope also addressed domestic issues.
“Despite Cameroon’s wealth, many people experience poverty, both materially and spiritually,” the Pope said in his homily. “Remember that your people are richer than this nation, for your treasure lies in your values: faith, family, hospitality, and work.”
Leo urged “to reject all forms of abuse and violence” in the face of poverty, and at the same time warned against “wasting energy and being corrupted by temptations that do not serve the development of society.”
The large crowd highlights the growth of Catholicism in Africa. Believers on this continent now make up around 20% of the world’s Catholic population.
Approximately 30% of Cameroon’s population is Catholic, and the country’s church serves as the main provider of education and health care, and supports civil society. In areas where the country’s infrastructure is limited, the presence of the church is strongly felt.
Leo’s trip to Douala, Cameroon’s Francophone and economic capital, came a day after he visited Bamenda, the epicenter of the country’s Anglophone crisis. Cameroon has long suffered from conflict between Anglophone separatists who resist the Francophone government.
The Pope, who delivered his thoughts during Mass in both English and French, took part in a peace conference in Bamenda on Thursday as he continues to face a series of attacks from US President Donald Trump.
The US president targeted Leo for speaking out against the Iran war. The pope insisted he is not afraid of the Trump administration and will continue to speak out. While in Africa, Leo seems calm and speaks even more passionately than in his previous pontificate.
Leo said Thursday that the world is “ravaged by a few tyrants” and criticized those who turn a blind eye to the fact that “billions of dollars are being spent on killing and destruction, while the resources needed to heal, educate and rebuild are nowhere to be found.”
On Saturday, Leo headed to Angola, the third stop on a four-nation African tour, the longest of his papacy.
